Reviews from Louise Anderson (26)

Marina Review for Wide Waters Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 18, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 3

You may also see this referred to as Wide Waters Marina. There are some floating piers that have electric. Look for the newer power posts; the older ones do not have 30 or 50 amp. You can also tie up on the wooden face pier. This is a cash only marina, but the rates are extremely reasonable. Showers and restrooms are very clean, and there is a washer and dryer in the same building. Ice is also available. Lots of grass to walk your dogs, and the city park is just the other side of the dockmaster's office. Wide Waters Drive In is right across the street, featuring real drive in food, including 6 or 7 flavors of real milk shakes. The Canal tour boats use this area as their turning basin, so just be aware if you are coming in mid morning to later afternoon.

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Free Dock Review for Canal Port Medina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson, Then Again, on Sep 18, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 3

Although there are some floating piers, they are very short and not suitable for boats above 20'. We tied up in between the two bridges on the south side, so we could have access to electric and water. The restrooms are hidden at the west end of the wall, underneath the Napa auto parts store. The same bridge tender serves both bridges, so you are advised to call him on his phone when you are ready to get underway. He/she will come down to your boat and leave you with a slip of paper that has the number, plus the bathroom code. It is an easy walk to several restaurants, and there is a sign on the bulletin board indicating various trails in the area that are good for walking yourself and your dogs. If you are more ambitious, you can walk to the Medina Train Museum, which is filled with train memorabilia. Highly recommend that site.

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Marina Review for Village of Fairport

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 18, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

There are side ties on both the north and south side. We tied up on the north side which has easy access to restaurants and live music and exhibits, like the weekly classic car show, during the summer. You will need to lasso a post in order to tie up. There is a lot of foot traffic on this side, so be prepared to be a tourist attraction. The most westerly bridge is slated for renovation for 2019-2020 season, and is closed to foot traffic and vehicle traffic. It has been left in the open position. If you are on the north side, you basically have no facilities, since the restrooms and showers are located on the south side and it is a bit of a walk to get there from the north side. The pump out is located on the south side, at the eastern edge of the pier. Uber is very easy to hail, which you can use to get to Wegman's super market. This is the only supermarket I have ever seen that has a pub inside the store! So, you can relax before you do your shopping.

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Marina Review for Village of Brockport

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 18, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

Very smooth wall to tie up to, in between the 2 bridges. Very little wake during the day time, and none after the bridge tender goes home. Power is easy to get to and "clean"; no reverse polarity issues. Shower and restroom facilities are very clean. There are 2 of them, and it is one size fits all. The one on the upper level is open during the hours the visitor center is open. The one pier side is available 24/7 and can only be accessed via a swiper card that you are issued when you check in. There is also a washer and dryer, reasonably priced, pier side, again, accessed with the swiper card. Several good restaurants within walking distance. Visitor center staff and the bridge tenders will go out of their way to make your stay pleasant. The only negative is that the pumpout is on the north side, literally just after the second bridge if you are traveling westbound. It is a short pier and can be a challenge to tie up to. The bridge tender came down and took lines for us, which helped.

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Free Dock Review for Village of Clyde

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson, Then Again, on Sep 4, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 3

This is a free wall, with 2 small floating docks if you do not want to tie up to the wall. (All side ties). The water and electric are at the top of the wall, near the ramp to the floating piers. Some have noted that it is noisy because of the train traffic. Although the trains are frequent during the day, they taper off at night. There is supposed to be a pump out, but we did not use it. We ate on board, as the docks are on the south side and the town itself (and the restaurants) are on the north side.

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Marina Review for Onondaga Lake Park Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

If you want to visit Syracuse and the Finger Lakes, this is a great location to do that from. It is about 3 miles off the Erie Canal, and you have 3 bridges to go underneath with clearances of 20' or less. The best way to find out about these bridges is to go to http://www.canals.ny.gov/boating/index.html
and click on the bridge heights section, then down to the Onondaga Lake hyperlink. There you will find the bridge locations and heights. When we went through, they were working on the Thruway Bridge and there were cables hanging down that reduced the height considerably. Once you are through the bridges, you enter the lake, with the marina is on the left side. There are limited transient slips, and the piers are a little shakey. However, they have an excellent system for hooking up electric and water is easily available. The pump out is located next to the Yacht Club. We did not use it because the machinery looked worn and we would have had trouble tying up to the fixed pier to even get close to it. The marina is located on a green belt park, so great for walking dogs. It is a quick walk into town that has several restaurants, grocery, liquor store and one of the cleanest laundries I have encountered. Uber and Enterprise Rentals are available. While we were there, the NY State Fair was running. A Salt Museum is next to the harbor master and is quite interesting. We also went to the Erie Canal museum down town, as well as to the Finger Lakes.

• WG Editor Comment:
  

  Bridge heights are also listed on Waterway Guide Explorer.

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Marina Review for Brewerton Boat Yard LLC

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

We discovered a hydraulic leak in the mechanism that controls our trim tabs and had a mess on our hands. We called Wayne prior to arriving and he was down to our boat within a half hour of tying up. He was able to fix the fitting quickly and able to dispose of our greasy diapers and other items that had gotten sprayed and couldn't be cleaned up. No real facilities for transients, but it's a boat yard, not a marina. Uber in town so we ate at a good Mexican food place that night. We ended up staying an extra day because of the weather, but our power and water situation was just fine. He had a large yard there, with inside and outside storage. If we were looking for someplace in the area to store our boat over the winter, we would start here. Good location for dog walking.

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Marina Review for Holmes Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 3

This marina is well protected from the Erie Canal when it's windy. Beware of the snags and so on at the entrance. Cash only. Depending on where you are berthed, it can be a very long walk to the office and facilities, so we called the office and the dockmaster drove over to take our money. Berths are narrow, as are the finger piers. It was a good stop at the end of a long day and positioned us extremely well to make the run west across Oneida Lake early in the morning, which avoided some nasty weather later in the day.

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Marina Review for Ilion Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 3

Easy access to diesel and pump out, and the staff is very helpful in that regard. The snack shop on site has adequate food. The marina is also a trailer park, so you have people from their RVs/trailers that have the river view spaces watching you while you are there. Dock to and from the parking lot is a little shakey. While we were there, a dredge was actively working and will supposedly be complete by the end of the season. Watch your depth if you are coming in before the dredging is complete. (BTW, we did not receive any of the welcome material mentioned in the previous post. Perhaps they were out).

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Marina Review for Little Falls Canal Harbor and Rotary Park

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

Unsure about the previous poster's experience at this marina. We thought it was one of the best stops on the Erie Canal. Power was great and we were tied up at one of the floating docks. There is a great boater's lounge, which is also the visitor center. The laundry is very clean, as are the bathrooms/showers. There is no courtesy car, but one of the visitor center employees ran me up to a grocery, and then later , ran us up to Ruggiers Trattoria for dinner. Recommend reservations at the restaurant if you are eating on Friday or Saturday evening. There is a lot of room to walk your dogs.

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Marina Review for Schenectady Yacht Club

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

There is limited transient berthage, so be sure to call ahead. The fuel pier is easy to get to, and the dock hands will make sure you are quickly tied up. Ice available at the fuel dock. Uber available, so we ate dinner in town. If you have pets, lots of room to take them on walks.

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Free Dock Review for Waterford Harbor Visitor Center

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson, Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

Excellent place to stop before entering the Erie Canal. The pump out is on a fixed dock- look for the orange flag. The docks were a little shaky, but we didn't have any problems with electric. We recommend calling the lock before getting underway, since you can see the lock from your berth. Good information in the visitor's center about the town and the canal itself. The center plays host to the Tugboat Roundup the weekend after Labor Day.

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Marina Review for Donovan's Shady Harbor Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Sep 2, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

This marina has it all. Brian is an excellent "host". I say "host" because you feel like he is welcoming you into his home, rather than being a customer at his business. He and his staff could not do enough for us, including receiving several packages. The Boathouse Grille, on premises, has delicious food for both lunch and dinner. We would highly recommend dinner reservations if you want to enjoy Prime Rib nights. Our berth was a side tie and very quiet/minimal wakes.

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Marina Review for Hudson River Maritime Museum

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Aug 7, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

It is an easy approach for a side tie and you are literally right in front of the museum. If you are going, you need to reserve your dates early. We had to alter our schedule since a tall ship was coming in for a 7 day stay and they needed all the dock space. Electric was fine. However, we did not see any water on the pier. There are showers and bathrooms available with a code, so you are not tied to the museum's hours. It was a quick, level walk to Ol Savannah restaurant with one of the best gumbo's around.

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Marina Review for Half Moon Bay Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Aug 7, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 3

There could not be a better marina manager than Steve. If we could rate him separately from the facility itself, he would get a 10. Steve knows everything about the area, as others have mentioned. The facility itself needs some work; we were on the dock just inside the breakwater and were constantly rocking from all the wakes, especially from people outside the breakwater water skiing or running their jet skis. Our pier was also a little shaky, even without the wakes. You need to be careful walking around the docks because Steve is fighting a losing battle with goose and duck crap. He really tries, but they out number him! I would stay there again if I could get a berth further in from the breakwater.

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Marina Review for Great Kills Yacht Club-PRIVATE

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Aug 7, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

This is an excellent staging area for sightseeing in New York. All the club members are friendly and willing to help you out however they can. The down side was no laundry or pump out, but that is what is reflected in their listing. Be sure to contact John and not the club itself.

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Marina Review for Silver Cloud Harbor Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jul 28, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

This marina is located about a mile up the Forked River. You will pass a lot of other marinas before you get here, but the reward is no wakes from passing boats. The marina closes at 3 pm on Sunday and all day Monday. We called at 2:45 pm looking for a slip and Hannah the harbormaster stayed late to take our reservation, left a red cone at our slip and the welcome packet in a dock box by the office. The finger piers are very narrow (18") and you will want to back in if you are a power boat. There is a liquor store within walking distance on Route 9, and Shop Rite will deliver groceries to the boat. The laundry is actually not on premises, but a block west on Rt 9. We had some maintenance performed at the yard, with a fair price and prompt service. Good place for dog walking along the streets. Ship store also not open if the marina office is not open. Other boaters are very friendly and helpful.

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Marina Review for Hoffman's Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jul 28, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

When I made our reservations, I mentioned that I am mobility challenged (I need to use a cane when walking long distances). When we got close to the marina, I spoke to Larry the owner, who said he could fit us on a short floating dock by the restaurant. It would have been a lot more difficult for me to get off at the fixed piers. Larry helped us tie up, checked on us later, and, when he saw us in Waypoint 622, made sure everything was to our satisfaction. Enterprise is about 15 minutes away, so we rented a car for a day to do a bunch of errands. Shop Rite will deliver to the marina. We did not use the laundry because we had so much, but, it was spotless when we checked it out. (If you are so inclined, Bubbles Laundromat has a Wash and Fold service. That place is also a great find). Bathrooms and showers are also extra clean. Entering and departing are a little tricky because of the current. We stayed west of the RR bridge and there is very little warning via a bell/horn when it is lowering. Normally open, but lots of commuter trains, so you need to be aware of your surroundings. Finally, a park just across the street from the marina was great for our dogs.

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Marina Review for Summit North Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jul 28, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

You need to time your entry and departure from the marina to be at high tide or close to it. We only draw 3' and it was nip and tuck leaving at low tide to get around the sand bar at the entrance. Once you are inside, you are well protected from any wakes and the slips get shady in the afternoon. We pumped and fueled and the dock hands were very helpful. Same for tying up in a crosswind. Your reward is an excellent dinner at Grain H20 at the top of the marina basin. Also, easy to walk your dogs down by the travel lift.

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Marina Review for Anchorage Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jul 22, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 10.0'

Rating: 5

We spent a month at this marina and couldn't have been more pleased. Wayne, the dockmaster, takes real pride in how the marina looks, and oversaw the renovations on D and E docks. E dock, where we stayed, has all new floating docks and the new power pedestals. When you arrive,you will see a blue roofed building with a large American flag on the face dock. You will enter at either end, depending on what slip you are assigned, and Wayne and crew will be there to handle lines and greet you. It's a large marina, and Wayne uses a Sedgway to get around. It features a huge, air conditioned boaters lounge, 2 washers and 2 dryers, with timers on them, so you know when to come back and a folding table. Ice is on the honor system at $1 per bag, available 24/7 in the boaters lounge. It is right across the street from several restaurants; our favorites were Katana Japanese food and Chesapeake Wine Company. You can see Safeway from the marina, and Harris Teeter will deliver to your slip. Go on Thursdays to West Marine and show them your marina swiper and you get extra discounts; discounts also available at Outback every day. The Uber drivers hang out at Safeway, so always easy to catch a ride.

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Marina Review for Annapolis Landing Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jun 16, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

This marina is the only one in the Back Creek area that has fuel and pump out, which is why we originally picked this place. We really made the right choice! It doesn't have a lot of transient slips, but seems to be one of these hidden gems. Excellent bath house (cleaner than many hotel rooms we've been in), a loaner car that is not too decrepit, and an on-site laundry. We didn't use the laundry, but instead bundled everything into the loaner car and had Bay Ridge Laundromat (about 6 minutes away) do same day wash and fold. The loaner car is also good to take you to Rocco's Pizza, Giant Grocery, West Marine and Annapolis Smokehouse (all in the same area). We used Uber to tour downtown Annapolis and the Annapolis Maritime Museum. There is an off leash area for dogs, as well as other walking paths. There are fixed docks and almost everyone backs in. The staff is ready to guide you in and take lines. We planned to spend just 2 days, but ended up there 5 days, waiting for the weather window to continue north.

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Marina Review for Solomons Yachting Center

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jun 16, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

This marina has an easy to find fuel dock and pump out, with very friendly and helpful dock hands. (Look for the yellow building) Don't confuse it with Solomons Yacht Club, which is right next door. We were on D dock, which is an easy walk to the Blue Crab Pub, which also houses the showers and laundry room. The pub serves sandwiches and drinks. When you step out of the pub, you are at the pool area. The grounds were very dog-friendly too. As noted in another review, boaters do not always obey the no wake zone, but the rocking and rolling stops once sunset arrives.This is not a super fancy marina, but it certainly had everything we wanted.

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Marina Review for Parks Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jun 8, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 2

We had quite a bit of difficulty communicating with the dock master. He wants you to call when you are en route and then he will set a time to call you on VHF 16. I was on the phone with him and had to repeat my info several times. He decided that when he was calling us on 16, that he would just call me "George". OK, quirky, I thought. It was extremely windy when we got there and our narrow slip had only a 3' x 2' triangular platform at the front of the pier for us to get off. He would not even take a line for us (or for the people next to us, who were also tying up in the wind at the same time, using the same pilings we were using). The only way to get off our boat was to slither under the railings at our bow and grab for the small piling. Apparently the channel is not a No Wake Zone, so we were bounced around quite a bit as well. Frankly, we had planned to spend 2 nights here, since it is likely that Tangier will have to be abandoned in the next 50 years due to rising sea levels, and we wanted to see the museum that details the history and culture of Tangier Island. We left as soon as we could navigate safely the next morning, never having been able to see the museum since one of us could not get off the boat at all. It was a huge disappointment. If you want to stay here, have a lot of patience and many long dock lines, since you will be doubling up on all the pilings.

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Marina Review for Tidewater Yacht Marina

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on Jun 8, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 36'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

Tidewater Marina is in a great location in Portsmouth. It's so close to the historic downtown and waterfront area, and a terminus for the ferry that goes to and from Norfolk downtown. There are a lot of mega yachts here, but they are pretty well segregated from the smaller slips. Fairways are good size if you are our size! Fish and Slips restaurant is on-site, with good food and great view of the harbor. The reasons this is not a 5 are (1) fuel dock and pump out are difficult to get to and if you are not a large yacht, you have to climb up a ladder from your boat to the pier to fuel and pump and (2) we never did find the laundry room. There is pump out service at the slip by a 3rd party that must be scheduled and will only take 25 gals of black water at a time. (We have a 40 gal tank). The office will give you info on how to sign up for the pump outs. Staff is very friendly and helpful.

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Marina Review for Church St. Town Dock

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on May 14, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 4

A portion of this facility was damaged/destroyed by Hurricane Florence. The rebuilt docks are very solid, and, work is underway to rebuild the gazebo and shore side amenities. Please read the other reviews about the current and docking. It can be exciting if you are tying up with the current at your stern. Parks and Recs people are very nice, but make it clear no one is on-site. The Stillwater Grill, however, is at the top of the ramp, and very delicious. We agree that the downtown is charming and easy to get to once you step off the dock.

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Marina Review for Morehead City Yacht Basin

Reviewed by: Louise Anderson , Then Again, on May 14, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

This marina has so much going for it. New floating docks, easy access to fuel and pump out, 2 new washers and dryers, restrooms with clean showers and chairs, and an outstanding staff that really know how to tie up your boat. (They have all been in the Coast Guard). The loaner car is $10 for 2 hours, and you do not have to fill it with any gas you use. You can walk to Floyd's 1921 restaurant, which has delicious local items. Helpful hint: If coming northbound, call them as you come through the RR Bridge. Once you make the turn to the marina, you are behind metal buildings and you won't be able to hear them until you are actually at the marina.

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